Sex Offender Facts
In 2003, there were approximately 455,000 registered sex offenders in United States.
According to a 1997 Bureau of Justice Statistics Report, about 234,000 convicted sex offenders are under the care, custody, or control of corrections agencies on an average day. Approximately 60% are under criminal justice supervision in the community.
Most sex offenders (80-95%) assault people they know.
At least half of convicted child molesters report that they also have sexually assaulted an adult.
Over 80% of convicted adult rapists report that they have molested children.
Approximately one-third of sex offenders report assaulting both males and females. Research shows that most convicted sex offenders have committed many, many assaults before they are caught.
Most sex offenders report that they have committed multiple types of sexual assault (sexual assault crimes include exhibitionism, voyeurism, oral sex, vaginal penetration, attempted penetration, fondling, and incest).
Over two-thirds of offenders who reported committing incest also said they assaulted victims outside the family.
Some studies of victims have shown less than 30% of sex crimes are reported to law enforcement.
Young victims who know or are related to the perpetrator are least likely to report the crime to authorities
